The present invention relates to an archery arrow composed of graphite (carbon) with the carbon fibers running in two mutually, substantially perpendicular directions on the arrow shaft. In addition, the arrow shaft is partially tapered and partially non-tapered.
The earliest known archery arrows were made of wood, usually cedar. These arrows had a number of disadvantages. First, they warped when exposed to moisture. As a result of this warping they were not straight and therefore did not fly straight when released from the bow. In addition, they were quite fragile and broke when they hit a hard object. Furthermore, they did not have sufficient kinetic energy to penetrate targets such as large game animals.
The kinetic energy of an arrow in flight may be calculated according to the formula:   E  =            weight      xc3x97              velocity        2                    450,240      
The disadvantages of wood arrows led to the development of aluminum tubular arrows. These arrows were about 25% lighter than cedar wood arrows and therefore flew faster (about 220 ft/sec), developing more kinetic energy because kinetic energy is related to the square of the velocity. They were also straighter than cedar arrows and did not have a tendency to warp. They were straight throughout the length of the shaft and did not taper.
However, aluminum arrows have a tendency to bend rather than break when they hit a hard object. It can be quite difficult to straighten the arrow after it has been bent.
More recently, carbon (graphite) arrows have been developed. Graphite arrows are constructed from carbon fibers that are pulled off a spool and through a die with eyelets, then through a smaller die and through a bath of polyvinyl or polyester resin and onto a mandrel for curing. After being placed on the mandrel, the carbon fibers and resin are heated to cure them. The cured product is then removed from the mandrel and cut to appropriate lengths for individual arrows. These arrows also generally had parallel walls (no taper).
These graphite arrows were lighter and tougher than aluminum, and do not bend when striking a hard object. The lighter weight lets them fly faster, developing higher kinetic energy.
These arrows also had a number of disadvantages. The production process left a mold release on the outside of the resin which was quite slippery. In order to fletch such arrows (put the vanes on), the arrows had to be sanded. Furthermore, it was quite difficult to tune these arrows for use with a fixed blade broadhead tip.
To address some of these problems, some manufacturers such as Taylor Falcon, Jonesboro, Ark. developed carbon arrows with a continuous taper throughout the length of the shaft. However, these arrows did not have commercial success because the sizings were wrong, the weights were inconsistent, and a dealer had to have many different diameter tools to mount tips to the shaft. That is, depending at the point along the taper where the material was cut to length, a different outside diameter of the shaft resulted and a different tool was needed to mount the tip. Furthermore, most of these arrows were constructed of unidirectional fibers, with the fibers running lengthwise along the shaft. There was thus no bracing across the shaft diameter, so that these arrows were relatively fragile In addition, these arrows tended to have a longer xe2x80x9cparadoxxe2x80x9d or oscillation along the shaft which caused inaccuracy in flight and less penetration after hitting a game animal. Furthermore, they had a relatively limited xe2x80x9cspine weightxe2x80x9d range of stiffness, so that it was difficult to use them with heavier bow strengths (greater than 70 pounds). Crisscrossing or biasing of fibers has been tried.
There is a need for an improved graphite archery arrow that retains the advantages of tapered arrows while solving the problems of tapered arrows and correcting the problems with graphite arrows with no bias.
A graphite archery arrow having an elongate shaft, a fletching portion at one end of the shaft, and a tip portion at the opposite end of the shaft, the shaft consisting of a number of graphite fibers longitudinally oriented 4 long the shaft; a number of graphite fibers biased to the longitudinally oriented graphite fibers; and a binder holding together the longitudinally oriented graphite fibers and the biased graphite fibers. The arrow may also have a tapered portion and a parallel portion. A method of manufacturing the graphite archery arrow is also claimed.
A principal object and advantage of the present invention is that the combination of longitudinally oriented graphite fibers and biased graphite fibers gives great strength to the arrow.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that the arrow does not bend when it hits a hard object.
Another principal object and advantage of the present invention is that the arrow is lighter and weight and therefore flies faster, developing more kinetic energy.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that there is no mold release on the outside of the arrow, so that extensive sanding is not required.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the arrow can be used with a fixed blade broadhead tip.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that a parallel portion allows the arrow to be sized to almost any length and a tip attached with a single diameter tip adapter. The arrow can also be re-tipped easily if it shatters at some point along the parallel portion.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the increased strength allows the tip adapter to go inside the shaft so that it will not grab when removed from the target.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that a tapered portion behind the parallel portion allows easier penetration into a game animal.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it has a shorter paradox than earlier arrows and thus has less oscillation along the shaft resulting in higher accuracy and flatter trajectory in flight. The arrow shoots farther with the same accuracy. This also allows better penetration when the arrow hits a game animal.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it has a greater spine weight range than earlier arrows.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that it has a front of center about 10 to 15% closer to the tip, allowing better tuning for fixed blade broadhead tips.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the arrow is easier to tune than earlier arrows.